The present invention relates to protective enclosures in general, and in particular to enclosures for the protection of computer equipment, medical equipment, testing equipment or other electronic equipment.
Typically such electronic devices such as computer equipment, medical equipment, testing equipment or other such electronic devices are fragile and are sensitive to physical abuse or exposure to liquid spillage. Additionally, such devices are sensitive to damaging airborne particles that can land on, or pass through openings in such devices. In order to minimize exposure to physical abuse, liquids and airborne particles, it was common practice to build special rooms to house and protect such devices. However, as such devices became smaller and more portable, it became impractical to always keep them in special rooms. Smaller portable versions of such devices now are commonly found in areas such as shops, portable laboratories, construction sites and so on. Unfortunately, such sites present electronic devices with hazardous exposure to the dangers of physical abuse, liquid spillage and airborne particles.
Prior patents, U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,249 issued Jul. 15, 1986 to T. Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,398 issued Nov. 19, 1991 to J. Fallik, U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,040, issued Apr. 21, 1992 to D. Bailey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,870, issued Nov. 17, 1992 to Cooper and U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,121, issued Nov. 22, 1988 to Lyons, disclose previous attempts to deal with the problem of protecting electronic devices. Unlike these prior art enclosures, the device of the present invention provides for a six-sided enclosure having a closable access panel that protects the case, controls and input/output units of such components from physical, liquid and airborne particulate damage. The access panel allows for limited access to the protected component without the need for moving the entire enclosure. Access can be limited in the sense that the access panel can be locked, thus preventing unauthorized resetting of controls or unauthorized insertion of transportable media that may have unwanted software stored on it, i.e. floppy discs. The enclosure of the present invention has a ventilation device that draws outside air past a filter, over the electronics that are inside the enclosure to cool the electronics and then exhausts the heated air to the outside of the enclosure. The enclosure of the present invention also functions as a moving case, since the protected device is entirely within the enclosure, which can be picked up or wheeled about with the electronic device safely within the enclosure.